Air pollution has not been good in any way to health. Now there is more bad news about air pollution. A study has found that air pollution can affect antibiotics effectiveness.
Air pollution is affecting people in many ways. Health is the one that is most affected. It is not just people that are affected by air pollution. Medicine as well can be affected by it. Researchers from the University of Leicester have found out that bacteria can change in air pollution. This in turn limits the effectiveness of antibiotics on them.
The study primarily focuses on how bacteria can be affected by air pollution. As air pollution affects bacteria, their growth and formation are also changed. This would also affect the survival of bacteria as they thrive inside the body. The study has focused on bacteria that can cause respiratory infection.
Dr. Julie Morrissey is the lead author of the study and is an associate professor in Microbial Genetics at the University of Leicester. She has said air pollution can make bacteria thrive, which could increase the risk of respiratory infection. Antibiotic effectiveness could also be affected as a result of this.
Two pathogens have been studied, according to the University of Leicester's site. These are Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pneumoniae. These two can cause respiratory infection and are also very resistant to antibiotics.
Black carbon is found in air pollution, and this can cause alteration of antibiotic effectivity on bacteria. The study has also found that black carbon can help spread the bacteria from the nose down towards the respiratory track and lungs, which can further worsen respiratory infection. The researchers have said that people in large cities are most at risk with this, as Science Daily reports.
Air pollution is dangerous to the health. The World Health Organization (WHO) calls it as the biggest environmental risk. Air pollution causes seven million deaths yearly worldwide. With this, air pollution can affect antibiotics effectiveness. A study finds the rationale behind vaping.
